Hawaii volcano update LIVE: Kilauea eruption latest lava map - Guatemala death toll grows
HAWAII'S Kilauea volcano has now been erupting for 34 days as lava continues to flow into nearby towns and neighbourhoods, destroying everything in its path. Here is the latest news and live updates on the Hawaii volcano as the death toll in Guatemala rises to 69.
A river of lava spewing from the foot of Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano swallowed about three dozen more homes on the Big Island this weekend.
Lava flows continue to wreak destruction with nearly 120 properties being devoured since the volcano erupted last month, officials said on Monday.
One finger of the lava continues to pour into a small freshwater lake, boiling away all its water late on Saturday, while another finger spilt into Kapoho Bay on Sunday night.
All but a few of the estimated 500 inhabitants of Kapoho and adjacent Vacationland development are now believed to have fled their homes, an agency spokesman said.
The latest damage came from a large lava flow that crept miles from the volcano's crater before severing a key highway junction at Kapoho on Saturday and then obliterating about a half-dozen blocks of the subdivision over the weekend, the spokesman said.
Wednesday, May 6
2.00am: Threats continue in Hawaii as Kilauea ravages the Big Island
Jessica Ferracane, a spokeswoman for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, insisted earthquakes cannot be predicted, adding to the stream of fears on the island.
She said: "Unlike lava, which you can see coming and avoid, we cannot see or predict earthquakes, nor can we foresee a summit explosion, but both threats continue."
12.41am: The number of houses destroyed in Hawaii skyrockets since Friday
The number of homes destroyed on the Big Island stands at over 159 homes, this is 72 more than was reported on Friday.
This makes the recent weekend the most devastating period since Kilauea began heaping chaos on the US state on May 3.
12.15am: Hawaii’s mayor has home destroyed as Kilauea continues its rampage
A home owned by Harry Kim was engulfed by red hot lava yesterday in addition to over 159 others on the Big Island.
Joseph Carey takes over live reporting from Georgina Laud
10:15pm update: Why are there so many earthquakes close to the summit?
Deflation of the crater that holds magma decreases in align with the increasing lava pool in the East Rift Zone.
This deflation has caused subsidence of up to 1.5 metres causing stress on faults around the crater.
The stress as lava drains has resulted in magnitude 3 or higher earthquakes, as well as numerous smaller quakes.
The USGS say: “We expect earthquake production to continue as long as the summit continues to deflate, but the rate and magnitude of earthquakes will vary in response to explosions.”
8:30pm update: Wildlife is under threat from the ever-reaching lava flow.
Forest managers at the Malama Ki Forest Reserve have reported that up to half of the forest’s 1,514 acres have been “impacted” by the eruptions.
The forest is home to sub-populations of native birds such as Hawaiian Honeycreepers, Hawai’i ‘amakihi and ‘apapane.
Forestry official Steve Bergfield warned that the loss of habitat due to the lava flow and defoliation could mean "sub-populations of wildlife may no longer persist, rapidly decline or become further fragmented and/or contract in range.”
7:45pm update: Map shows extent of lava flow over eastern coast of Big Island
The USGS have released a map detailing the extent and direction of lava flow towards the eastern coast.
Flowing from fissure 8, the lake of lava has gone through part of Leilani Estates, Vacationland and Kapoho, before entering the ocean in Kapoho Bay.
The flow also appears to be heading towards WaaWaa, creating potential isolation for anyone not yet evacuated.
As fissure 8 remains highly active, the spread of lava could extend further throughout the island.
5:32pm update: A large laze plume has risen from the ocean
Hawaii Civil Defense have issued a warning to residents close to the Kapoho Bay area, due to the continuing flow of lava into the ocean.
A large laze plume has risen from the lava ocean entry site, and lava continues to flow at a steady rate from fissure 8.
Residents have been warned to stay away from any ocean plume, with the HCD warning: "laze plume travels with the wind and can change direction without warning".
Those in areas close to lava flow have also been told to be prepared to evacuate at a moments notice.
USGS
4:15pm update: Kilauea’s aviation colour code remains red
According to the USGS Kilauea has an aviation colour code of red, meaning that an eruption is imminent/ ongoing with significant ash-plumes at risk of/being released into the atmosphere.
Fissure 8 continues to spew molten lava into the air, adding to a lake pooling towards Kapoho Bay, cumulating in an ocean entry.
Lava meeting with the ocean has its own risks, causing dangerous laze to form in plumes.
Laze is a combination of hydrochloric acid, fine glass particles, and steam, which when blown inland can cause dangerous health concerns for nearby residents.
Deadly laze can cause eye and skin irritation, as well as lung damage and in some cases can result in death.
4:00pm: Georgina Laud takes over reporting from Vickiie Oliphant
12.33pm update: Almost 10,000 earthquakes hit Big Island
Between May 4 and June 4, there have been almost 10,000 earthquakes surrounding the Kilauea volcano, according to the US Geological Survey.
Big Island is well used to being struck by quakes but activity in the last 30 days has far outpaced its historical monthly average of 1,000.
The biggest was a 6.9-magnitude earthquake which struck Hawaii on May 4.
10.25am update: Amazing images shows lava light up the sky with a brilliant burnt orange colour
Amazing photos show as the molten lava illuminates the sky above Leilani Estates during ongoing eruptions of the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii.
The stunning pictures show the skies glowing a dusky orange colour as lava fountains spurt beneath the open air.
One shows as soldiers of the Hawaii National Guard measure sulfur dioxide gas levels near a lava flow, with a stunning dusky pink sky.
Another shows Darryl Sumiki, 52, of Hilo, watching as lava lights up the sky above Pahoa during ongoing eruptions.
REUTERS
AFP - REUTERS
9.49am update: Earthquakes continue to shake Big Island
Earthquakes are still rattling the summit of Kilauea after a magnitude 5.5 quake rocked the area Sunday, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense officials.
The huge quake on Sunday sent an ash plume 8,000 feet into the sky but did not cause a tsunami threat, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
There were 500 quakes in the summit area of Kilauea in a 24-hour period, the highest rate ever measured at the summit area, according to Brian Shiro, supervisory geophysicist at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Those earthquakes have continued near the summit, according to Jim Kauahikaua, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
He added temblors are nearly continuous at the summit and that gas emissions remain "very high."
9.40am update: Latest damage on Hawaii's Big Island after Kilauea eruption
On Monday, the civil defence agency reported a total of 117 homes and other structures destroyed across the island's larger lava-stricken region.
About three dozen of those structures, mostly private homes and vacation rentals, were lost during the weekend in Kapoho.
The rest were consumed weeks earlier in the larger Leilani Estates subdivision where lava-spouting fissures in the ground first opened on May 3.
About 2,000 residents have been displaced from Leilani since earlier this month as fountains of lava and high concentrations of toxic sulfur dioxide gas continued unabated. A mandatory evacuation of much the subdivision was imposed last week.